Education
Teenagers Offer Solution to Nigeria’s Agric Value Chain at InterswitchSPAK 2.0
By Adedapo Adesanya
Team Earth, winners of the InterswitchSPAK 2.0 Innovation Challenge, has proffered a plausible solution to problems associated with the agricultural value chain in Nigeria.
The team, made up of nine teenage secondary school students, is is leveraging on mobile technology to address the issue through an application known as FarmEazy. The teenagers said the platform will help farmers connect to potential buyers, bringing people who want to buy farm produce in contact with the farmers on a single platform.
Proposed to be made available as a mobile app for IOS and Android devices, USSD and SMS for non-internet enabled phones, FarmEazy will cater for three sections: Farmers, buyers and investors where the parties can interact and carry out transactions.
According to the team, to get on the platform, all farmers simply need to do is create a bank account for their eWallet. Registered farmers will be granted access to all features available on the platform, including newsfeeds and updates.
On the part of the buyers, they will sign up on the platform and can select and pay using the Quickteller paypoint eWallet or USSD, while for investors who sign up, they will be required to indicate an investment option they would be interested in and also indicate the kind of services they would render.
Grouped into nine teams, the InterswitchSPAK finalists were tasked with developing solutions to three salient socio-economic issues. These issues were in the areas of Agriculture, Electoral process and Financial inclusion. The students proffered brilliant solutions to their given tasks by leveraging technology. Each team was led by Interswitch staff who volunteered as mentors.
Winners of the challenge, Team Earth, made up of nine SS2 students, were mentored by Paul Otu and Tolulope Adesokan and Opeyemi Adekugbe who are members of staff at Interswitch. The team’s Agricultural solution, FarmEazy, is a platform expected to help the farmers connect.
The winners were selected by an eminent jury panel made up of Akeem Lawal, Divisional CEO, Transaction Processing & Enablement, Interswitch Group; Folasade Femi-Lawal, Head, Cards & Messaging Business, FirstBank, and Ifeoma Onibuje, Divisional Head, Electronic banking, Fidelity Bank.
Ideas and presentation were the two major criteria used in deciding the winners. For ideas, the Jury considered Team Earth’s presentation to be simple, disruptive and cost effective. They also thought the solution was out of the box and relevant in today’s world. For presentation, the Jury considered the delivery, creativity and the demonstration of teamwork.
Commenting on the competition, Ms Cherry Eromosele, Group Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at Interswitch, said, “The quality of the ideas and level of creativity demonstrated during the presentations gives credence to the assertion that Nigeria is filled with truly brilliant students.
“With access to the right tools and technology they can produce solutions that would address practical everyday problems in Nigeria. While this is a worthwhile experience for the students, it may be the start of a digital revolution in Nigeria.”
Following their announcement as the Innovation Challenge winner, Team Earth will receive the InterswitchSPAK 2.0 Founder’s Award at the Grand Finale in the coming weeks.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has issued a 14-day ultimatum to 21 state-owned universities over alleged failure to implement key provisions of the 2025 agreement reached with the federal government.
The union warned that the affected universities could be heading for industrial action if their respective authorities fail to resolve the outstanding issues within the two-week window.
The ultimatum was one of the major resolutions reached at ASUU’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held at the University of Abuja recently.
In a statement signed by ASUU President, Professor Christopher Piwuna, the union expressed concern over what it described as the “haphazard implementation” of the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU agreement, accusing relevant authorities of displaying a lackadaisical attitude towards its implementation.
ASUU said the problem was particularly pronounced in several state universities, where university visitors had allegedly failed to implement the agreement, leaving affected branches with little option but to seek NEC’s approval to commence the process for industrial action.
Consequently, NEC authorised the affected branches to issue 14-day ultimatums to their university authorities, after which strike procedures would commence if the issues remained unresolved.
The universities affected include Nasarawa State University, Keffi; Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai; University of Medical Sciences, Ondo; Gombe State University; Plateau State University, Bokkos; Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba; Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma; Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa; Abia State University, Uturu; and University of Education and Entrepreneurship, Akamkpa.
Others are Emmanuel Alayande University of Education, Oyo; Kaduna State University; Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology, Wudil; Northwest University, Kano; Enugu State University of Science and Technology; Imo State University, Owerri; Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island; University of Africa, Toru-Orua; Bayelsa Medical University, Yenagoa; and Taraba State University, Jalingo.
According to the union, the 14-day ultimatum is a precondition for the affected branches to begin formal procedures for industrial action.
ASUU said branches in the Sokoto Zone had already issued a similar two-week ultimatum, while NEC would reconvene in an emergency session at the end of August or early September to assess developments and determine the union’s next line of action.
The union also revived its “No-pay-No-work” position, directing branches in federal universities where salaries had been withheld or underpaid to take appropriate action.
It specifically cited affected universities, including universities of agriculture, where members had allegedly received incomplete salaries.
Beyond the salary and agreement implementation disputes, ASUU maintained its opposition to the National Education Repository Databank (NERD), insisting that unresolved questions surrounding its hosting arrangements and intellectual property rights must first be addressed.
The union also waded into the country’s political process, urging its members to participate actively in politics and approving the establishment of an ASUU Independent Monitoring Group.
The group, according to the union, will monitor and observe elections across the country.
Meanwhile, growing insecurity within university campuses also featured prominently in the NEC deliberations.
ASUU expressed concern over attacks and other security incidents that had claimed the lives of members, directing affected branches to engage the police and other relevant security agencies in pursuing justice for victims.
Branches were also mandated to document cases of insecurity and present comprehensive records to the union’s NEC for further action.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has released the results of the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for school candidates, with 61.54 per cent of candidates obtaining credits in at least five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.
The Head of WAEC’s Nigeria National Office, Mr Amos Dangut, announced the results at a press briefing in Lagos on Wednesday.
Mr Dangut said 1,200,514 candidates met the benchmark for admission to higher institutions, out of the 1,950,726 candidates who sat the examination nationwide, held between April 24 and June 19.
He said 102,708 examiners were engaged in the marking exercise held at 88 marking venues across the country between 2 July and 20 July.
“Today, I am happy to inform you that all the processes leading to the release of results have been completed. It is now my pleasure to announce the release of the results of candidates who sat the WASSCE for School Candidates, 2026 in Nigeria,” he said, directing candidates to the agency’s portal to access their results.
“UPDATE: 2026 WASSCE (SC) results have been released. Generate your PIN at waec.org and check your results now on waecdirect.org,” the examination body said, noting that candidates must obtain their Serial Number and PIN before they can check their results.
To generate the required credentials, candidates are expected to visit WAEC’s official website and select the “Serial Number and PIN” option at the top of the page.
They are then required to select the appropriate examination year and diet, enter their examination number and National Identification Number (NIN), and ensure that the NIN provided is the same one used during registration for the examination.
Candidates must also provide their email address and phone number to receive a One-Time Password (OTP).
After entering the OTP, candidates can recover their Serial Number and PIN, which they can subsequently use to check their results through WAEC Direct.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Over 200 senior students of Cleggs Girls High School, Surulere, Lagos, were on July 23, 2026, engaged in practical knowledge about the risks associated with smoking, vaping, and shisha.
This engagement was made possible through a collaboration between Breathe Life Foundation and Teach Nigeria Fellow.
Participants were students aged 15–19 years. They were also informed about the misconception that shisha is a safer alternative to cigarettes or other substances.
Through an engaging and interactive discussion, students explored the influence of peer pressure and learned practical strategies for making healthier, more informed lifestyle choices.
They also gained a better understanding of common environmental triggers of asthma and other respiratory conditions, including cigarette smoke, generator fumes, bush burning, mosquito coil smoke, candles, charcoal, and firewood.
The session highlighted an important reality: young people may not always recognise how seemingly routine lifestyle choices and environmental exposures can gradually affect their respiratory health, quality of life, and long-term wellbeing.
For Breathe Life Foundation, this reinforces the importance of shifting the conversation from treatment to prevention through awareness and education.
By equipping young people with the knowledge to identify risks and make healthier choices early, the foundation is helping to build a generation that is more conscious of – and better prepared to protect – its respiratory health.
The organisation said it is dedicated to advancing respiratory health, an often-neglected public health priority. Healthy lungs are essential to life, yet respiratory diseases remain among the world’s leading causes of death and disability, even though many are preventable and treatable.
